BLAZE RUINS ATLANTIC AVENUE CAFE

- A fire swept through a trendy downtown cafe on Monday morning, destroying its kitchen and dining room and slightly damaging surrounding shops.

But the blaze wasn't the only bad news for James Miner, owner of Goodness Gracious Cafe at 514 E. Atlantic Ave. The building's new landlord alerted Miner and four businesses late last week that most of their rents would double -- forcing one shop that's been there for 30 years and another for 18 years to consider moving.

"We're not going to renew the lease. It's too high for us," said Owanna Post, librarian at the Christian Science Reading Room, which has been at 512 E. Atlantic Ave. for 30 years.

The fate of Miner's cafe, which was once a basket and gift shop, remained unclear. He was out of town on Monday, and his employees spent the day salvaging items from the charred remains.

The fire started at 2 a.m. in the storage room, and quickly engulfed equipment in the kitchen and damaged the dining area, said Richard Murphy, a division chief for Delray Beach Fire-Rescue. The fire caused an estimated $150,000 of damage, he said.

While fire officials are investigating the blaze, they don't suspect arson, Murphy said. No one was in the building when the fire began.

Smoke and water caused minor damage to Skadoodles children's boutique and the Christian Science Reading Room. But the shops were open Monday, even as they aired the smoke from the building.

The blaze was another blow to the five shop owners at 512-520 E. Atlantic Ave., across from the Colony Hotel. They have been nervous about their future since the building was sold this summer to Mount Kisco, N.Y.-based 512-520 of Delray LLC for $1.2 million.

Besides the reading room, Penelope's gift shop has decided to move. The shop's monthly rent will rise from $1,655 to about $3,600 under a new lease that would begin in October, said Bebby Weigand, the owner.

The worst part, Weigand said, is that the new lease will expire at the end of next April, and after that, it doesn't guarantee they'll be able to stay. The landlord has proposed additions to the building.

The shop owners suspect the landlord raised the rents to attract upscale shops, possibly a large national retailer.

The landlord has not responded to calls for comment.

As for the other shops, Skadoodles' owner Kimberly Carroll said she plans to stay, and Baobab's owner could not be reached.

Penelope's and the Christian Science Reading Room have not decided where they will move. Penelope's is planning a moving sale.

"It's very sad that after 18 years we don't know where we'll be," Weigand said.

Leon Fooksman can be reached at lfooksman@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6647.